Conflict in writing: Actions and objects.

This chapter argues that writing involves an interaction between conflicting cognitive systems, one designed for the construction of mental objects and the other for the taking of actions. It characterises the construction of mental objects as a problem-solving process involving the retrieval of content from episodic memory and the manipulation of content in working memory. The system for action involves the synthesis of content guided by implicit constraints within semantic memory. The chapter then reviews research investigating the effects of different types of planning and individual differences in goals and beliefs on the development of understanding during writing and on the quality of text. It concludes by discussing the effectiveness of different drafting strategies and implications for theories of writing.